On the day of the Little New Year, the Gu family brothers all gathered before Gu Dashishi’s bed.

"Seventh had someone send these over?" Liu Liu and Li Xiaohua’s eyes gleamed as they stared at the items placed in the corner of the bed.

There was not only white flour and rice, but also half a side of pork and an assortment of pastries.

"That Seventh has really struck it rich. All this stuff, and with just a word, he got Chief Li to run an errand for him." Li Xiaohua’s tone dripped with envy.

"Mother! Look at all this stuff. How about you share some with us?" Liu Liu rubbed her hands together, wishing she could just grab everything and run home with it.

Without looking up, Li Cuicui continued to sew the shoe in her hands. "No matter how much there is, it’s a gift from my son to show his devotion to me. Today is the Little New Year. Where are the filial gifts from your families?"

Li Xiaohua replied, "Mother, we can’t compare our lives to Seventh’s. We can barely keep the pot boiling. How could we afford to get you any gifts?"

"You see that you’re not lacking for anything now, so why not let your grandsons benefit a little? Let them eat something nice."

Gu Dashishi sat up on the bed then. "You’re all a bunch of unfilial brats. It’s a holiday, and you come empty-handed expecting to freeload off me. Get out, all of you."

Seeing the old man’s dark expression, Li Xiaohua shrank back, but Liu Liu was not ready to give up.

"Father, I don’t like hearing that. My husband comes over to take care of you. Even if there’s no great merit, there’s been hard work. And look at your favorite youngest son! He’s the one who left you with all these aches and pains, and now we haven’t even seen a shadow of Seventh.

Whenever you two have so much as a headache or a fever, isn’t it our families who are here to serve you?

Besides, look at your grandsons and granddaughters. How long has it been since they’ve eaten pastries like these? You’re their grandparent. Do you have the heart to watch these children stare at these pastries and drool?"

"If they’re craving something, can’t they ask their own parents?" Not wanting to argue with his daughter-in-law, Gu Dashishi turned to look directly at Gu Yuanshui. "Fourth, do you also think your wife has a point?"

Gu Yuanshui forced a smile. "Father, my wife doesn’t know how to choose her words, don’t be angry. Her heart just aches for your grandsons. Look at them, their eyes are gleaming with hunger. It’s all my fault for being an incapable father, unable to let them eat something nice during the festival."

"Grandfather, we’ll just have a tiny bit, just to have a taste." After getting a look from his mother, Gu Le Kai could only brace himself and walk over to speak.

Gu Lehua followed behind her brother. Though she remained silent, she looked at Gu Dashishi with eyes full of anticipation.

Little Leshun wanted to open his mouth too, but Hong Daya held him in her arms and gave him a slight shake of her head.

With a look of impatience, Gu Dashishi was about to scold them when Li Cuicui cut in. "Alright, you children come over to Grandma."

As she spoke, Li Cuicui bent down and picked a packet from the pile of pastries. "Your Seventh Uncle had these sent over. You need to remember his kindness."

"But it’s Grandma giving them to us, isn’t it?" Gu Lehua said, pursing her lips. ’When it came to family closeness, there was a difference between getting something from her grandmother and getting it from her uncle.’

Li Cuicui didn’t know about these little thoughts of hers. "If your Seventh Uncle hadn’t bought these, then none of you would have anything to eat.

Besides, he bought these for your grandfather and me. Since you’re the ones eating them, you have to remember his generosity."

Gu Lehua pouted but didn’t dare say another word, because her grandmother had already opened the package, revealing the mung bean cakes inside.

"Oh! These are the ones sold at our sister-in-law’s shop. I’ve had them before," Li Xiaohua said with a smug look. "You have to hand it to Seventh’s wife, she really knows how to hide things. To have so many secret recipes and such a dowry, and to endure in silence for so long.

Don’t look down on this little packet of pastries; it costs a lot of silver."

Xie Ruyi nudged Gu Le Di beside her and whispered, "You’re their grandson, too. Go on and get a couple of pieces."

Le Di had always been so sullen that Xie Ruyi had inevitably neglected him. Now that her eldest and third sons weren’t around, this second son was the only one she could hold on to.

But seeing her son remain so wooden, Xie Ruyi had no choice but to give him a push herself.

"All the grandchildren will get some, but only this once. The rest of the pastries are for visiting the clan elders in the village." Li Cuicui had already made up her mind. Everyone knew that Seventh had sent them, the old couple, gifts. She didn’t want to neglect the proper etiquette and give people something to gossip about.

"Generous to a fault," Liu Liu muttered under her breath. "Her own family can’t get enough to eat, and she’s still throwing things away outside. I guess you don’t feel the pinch when it’s not your own money." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Hong Daya, who had been sitting quietly to one side, couldn’t help but retort, "She’s not spending our money, and our children are even benefiting from it."

"I say, Fifth Sister-in-law, are you telling me you’re not tempted by all this?" Liu Liu’s eyes were shining. "All day long, we’re either eating coarse grains and wild vegetables or huddling on the bed to save food.

Now we have all this stuff, enough for our whole family to live well for days, and Mother is planning to give it away as gifts. I refuse to believe you don’t feel the sting."

Hong Daya saw that her mother-in-law had finished handing out pastries to the older children and was now beckoning to the little one in her arms. Only then did she set the boy down on the ground.

"It’s not like I spent my own silver on it, so why would my heart ache?" Hong Daya shot her a look. "Besides, having these things saves us a lot of trouble for the New Year. Otherwise, could we really just stand by and watch Father and Mother starve?"

If it weren’t for these gifts, wouldn’t the brothers have had to save food from their own mouths to give to their parents?

"There’s no getting through to a blockhead like you." Liu Liu felt she would cough up blood from anger if they kept talking, so she turned in a huff and went to stand with Xie Ruyi.

"Eldest Sister-in-law, Seventh and his wife are just too stingy. We’re here at home, working hard to take care of the old folks, and they don’t even show a bit of appreciation during the holidays."

Xie Ruyi’s eyes flickered. "Well, we’re brothers who have already split the household. It’s enough that they are filial to Father and Mother."

"But, Eldest Sister-in-law, how much do you think Seventh’s wife has hidden away? Buying a house, starting a business, and now the two of them have gone so far away... they couldn’t manage all that without a substantial family fortune, could they?"

Xie Ruyi pursed her lips. "Why don’t you go ask her?"

Liu Liu sulkily turned her head away. "I thought we were just chatting in private. It’s not like we have to get to the bottom of it."

’Even if I wanted to ask,’ she thought, ’it’s not like those two would cooperate.’

Meanwhile, every child had received a pastry. Gu Yuanfeng also held out her hand to Li Cuicui. "Mother, don’t forget you have a little grandson in my belly. Give me two pieces, too."

Li Cuicui shot her a glare but finally placed one piece in her hand. "If you have a craving, just say so. Now you’re using the baby in your belly as an excuse."

The daughters-in-law all watched Li Cuicui with expectant faces, only to see her rewrap the remaining pastries, turn around, and shove them into the cabinet by the bed.